Sonic goes direct with "Those 2 Guys" campaign

Sonic Drive-In launched its “Those 2 Guys” campaign on Feb. 22, after a two-week “prelaunch phase” that included a number of direct elements, including an online petition, a flyer drop and social media presence.

The prelaunch campaign, which began Feb. 9, centered on the concept that T.J. Jagodowski and Peter Grosz, who served as spokesmen for the fast-food company from 2002 to 2010, were trying to get their jobs back.

Created by Goodby Silverstein & Partners, part of the Omnicom Group, the campaign included a Twitter feed, a Facebook page, a Youtube channel and a website where visitors could view “rogue” commercials made by Jagodowski and Grosz as they try to convince Sonic to take them back.

Visitors were encouraged to sign an online petition, and to print flyers demanding the re-hiring of Jagodowski and Grosz. Visitors were also given a number to the “Sonic headquarters,” which they were encouraged to call.

“We wanted to bring the guys back through the power of the people, and really utilize this grassroots effort,” said Jasmine Clark, senior communications strategist for Goodby Silverstein & Partners.

Sonic announced the launch of the official campaign across all of the web pages on Feb. 22, when it released a new, official commercial featuring the two returning spokesmen. New TV spots will be coming in future weeks.

Goodby partnered with Attention Span Media to target the fans with the most influence within their social networks.

“We really targeted those people—the superfans—to help us spread the word about Those 2 Guys trying to get their job back,” said Margaret Johnson, executive creative director for Goodby Silverstein & Partners.

The prelaunch campaign included a staged protest outside a Sonic location, with participants waving signs and chanting slogans, and a flyer drop at a mall in Oklahoma City, where Sonic is based. The flyers were available for download on the website.

“It worked so successfully so far and we wouldn't want to shut that down,” said Johnson. “We want to continue that conversation with the consumer.”